Plead, Lord, with them that with me plead

1 LORD strive with them who with me strive;
Against them fight that fight with me:
2 Of shield and buckler take thou hold;
And O arise my help to be.
3 Draw forth the spear and stop the course
Of my pursuers speedily;
And to my soul O do thou say,
"I will a saviour be to Thee."

4 With shame shall they confounded be,
Who seek my harmless soul to seize;
And with disgrace be turned back,
Who plot to do me injuries.
5 JEHOVAH's angel shall them chase
As chaff before the driving wind:
6 Their way shall dark and slipper be,
JEHOVAH's angle drive behind!

7 For causlesly within a pit
They hid a net me to ensnare;
A pit which they without a cause
Did dig, and for my soul prepare.
8 But ruin on them unawares
Shall come; and in their hidden net
They shall be caught, and ruin'd by
The snare their hand for me had set.

9 My soul shall in the LORD rejoice,
In his salvation joyful be;
10 And all my bones with joy shall sing
"JEHOVAH, who is like to Thee!"
"Who sav'st the poor and weak from those
"Who for him are too great and strong;
"The poor and needy one from those
"Who him oppress with spoil and wrong!"

[2 Part]

11 False witnesses arose; and things
I never knew, to me they laid:
12 To spoil my soul, ungratefully
they evil for my good repaid.
13 But as for me, when they were sick
I put on sackcloth and I mourn'd;
My soul with fasting griev'd; my pray'r
Within my bosom oft return'd.

14 As for my friend and brother dear;
So tenderly behave did I;
As for a dying mother wept,
And I bow'd downward heavily.
15 Yet they in my distress rejoice,
And they against me gathered are;
The basest meet unknown to me,
And never cease my name to tear.

16 With scoffing hypocrites at feasts,
Who get their bread with flatteries;
They gnash against me with their teeth,
and sland'rous jests on me devise.
17 O Lord how long wilt thou look on?
From their destruction rescue me!
My precious soul make haste to save,
My dearest from young lions free;

18 So I to thee will render thanks
Within the congregation great:
And I will celebrate thy praise,
Where multitudes to worship meet.

[3 Part]

19 O let them not o'er me rejoice,
Who are my wrongful enemies;
Not those who hate me causlesly,
Deride me with their scornful eyes.
20 For they, nor speak, nor aim for peace;
But they the words of fraud contrive,
Against those people in the land
Who love in quietness to live.

21 Yea they with open mouths on me
Laugh out and say, "Our eye it saw!"
22 LORD, Thou hast seen: hold not they peace:
Lord, do not far from me withdraw.
23 O to my judgment and my cause
My God, my Lord, awake and rise:
24 LORD judge me in thy righteousness,
My God, lest they o'er me rejoice.

25 O never let their hearts exult,
"Ha! ha! our souls desire have we!"
Nor ever suffer them to boast,
That they have wholly swallow'd me.
26 Confounded and asham'd shall be
All those who at my hurt are glad;
And those who now against me boast,
With shame and with disgrace be clad.

27 Let those who love my righteous cause,
Rejoyce and shout; and never cease
To say, "The LORD be magnify'd,
"Who loves to see his servants peace."
28 And so, to shout thy righteousness,
Shall be th' employment of my tongue;
And thy high praises to set forth,
From day to day, and all day long

Source: The Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs of the Old and New Testament, faithfully translated into English Metre: being the New-England Psalm-Book, revised and improved... (2nd ed.) #PXXXV